Arizona Cardinals lose starting center A.Q. Shipley for the season

The Arizona Cardinals have had only one offensive lineman start all 16 games for them in each of the past two seasons, but unfortunately, he won’t be taking part in the 2018 campaign.

Rookie head coach Steve Wilks confirmed on Monday that center A.Q. Shipley is out for the year after tearing his right ACL in practice on Saturday. Mason Cole, a third-round rookie out of Michigan, is expected to replace the 32-year-old. Cole was a two-time All-Big Ten second-team selection while playing for Jim Harbaugh, and now he’s almost certainly been pushed straight into the starting lineup.

Last year, both left tackle D.J. Humphries and left guard Mike Iupati missed most of the season due to injury. Right guard Earl Watford was brought in midseason and placed at right guard (replacing Evan Boehm), while Alex Boone shifted out to left guard. Jared Veldheer started 13 games at right tackle and then was placed on IR. Veldheer has since been traded to the Denver Broncos, while both Watford and Boone are gone. One notable addition via free agency was former New York Giants OL Justin Pugh, who is on course to be Arizona’s right guard. Right tackle is likely a battle among John Wetzel, Will Holden, and Andre Smith.

The Seattle Seahawks play the Cardinals in Week 4 (September 30th) at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, a place they’ve not lost against their NFC West rivals since 2012.